Within our small island community we don't have many local weddings, although some visitors do come here to get married. It was therefore hugely exciting to see the much loved Kate Clement and Andy Lawson get wed last Saturday, the 10th November 2018.
The proud father of the bride escorts her down the aisle. The church was full with standing room only for latecomers. Kate spent the entire day with an enormous grin across her face - she had looked forward to this moment for a long time.
Dearest Kate! I love her earnest look as Andy takes his vows. Talk about hanging on his every word!
The relief is enormous as the happy couple emerge from the church. Andy is a member of our Auxiliary Fire Service which explains the water hose above the church doorway. Kate rowed in the ladies gig crew for many years hence the gig paddles creating an archway for the happy couple to pass through for luck.
The wedding day weather had been a mixture of sunshine and showers. We were all delighted when the bride arrived in glorious sunshine. But just as Mr & Mrs Lawson stepped outside the porch to start married life together the heavens opened!
This has to be my favourite capture of the day. Kate looks radiant as she huddles together with her darling nieces.
Gemma and Elsa are terribly chic young ladies.
The bride and groom, the bridesmaids and best man all took refuge in the fire truck which transported them all on to the Abbey Gardens for a photo shoot.
Kate came to the island 11 years ago to volunteer for a week at the Abbey Garden. After extending her stay for another two weeks she was offered a job as gardener on the Cottage Department where she still works happily, enjoying the independence it gives her as well as the opportunity to be creative as she tends the small cottage gardens preparing them for the new influx of guests.
Andy is the Head Gardener at the Abbey Garden and can be seen throughout the summer giving guided tours through his empire. He is an expert tree surgeon too as well as a skilled propagator and veg gardener. His love of plants has led him to travel far and wide, gathering specimens to add to the garden collection.
Andy and Kate have been together for 10 years now. Their joint passion for plants is a strong bond between them - tomorrow the couple are leaving to go on honeymoon to South Africa, home to many of the plants Andy cares for within the Garden.
A reminder of the other aspect of Kate's life - she loves to sea swim and we've had many an adventure together. We encountered inquisitive seals as we swam from Samson to St Agnes on a training day and we've also battled our way through a lively sea swell with a brisk head wind the time we decided to swim from New Grimsby to Appletree Bay just for a laugh. Kate is a true water babe who rocks a bikini too!
Kate and Andy are at the heart of our community, involved in all the things that cement island life, from the annual fete to weekly cricket, table tennis and card games in the pub as well as Sunday drinks gatherings on their patio which affords the best vantage point across New Grimsby. This long awaited wedding was a wonderful gathering of both families from as far as Bali, Denmark, France and Scotland and friends, also from far flung places as well as those from the islands. Congratulations to this much loved and popular couple - thank you for including us in this unique island event. Three cheers for Mr & Mrs Lawson!
P.S. Before you ask, the photos were professionally done and secondly if you want to see what I wore, then you'll have to come back on Monday...
Anna x
